The present invention is directed to a composition containing an extract of aloe vera which, when added to water containing fish, such as aquarium water, is useful in promoting the healing of injured or damaged fish tissue. The aloe vera extract is a leaf extract of the aloe vera plant.
Every fish has a natural mucoprotein or "slime" coating covering its skin and scales. The slime coating is the fish's first line of defense against infection. Recent literature indicates that the slime coating contains enzymes and antibodies to fight infection. The slime coating acts as a shield against disease causing organisms in the fish's external environment. It also acts as a barrier to prevent loss of internal electrolytes and body fluids. It is believed that when even a small portion of the slime coating is removed, the fish will bleed electrolytes from its body into the surrounding water.
Beneath the fish's mucoprotein coating are its scales which can extend to the outer skin surface from the underlying dermal connective tissue. Beneath the scales in a fish's skin is the epidermis, comprising several layers of cells. The fish epidermis is distinguished from mammalian epidermis in that mammals require hardened layers of skin to prevent dehydration, whereas in the aquatic environment, the fish has no need for such protection. Thus, unlike the case in mammals, mitosis is usually seen in the lower layer of the epidermal layer of a fish. Beneath the epidermis of a fish is the dermis comprising fibrous connective tissue interspersed with black pigment cells. The vascular dermal tissue contains a network of capillaries providing nutrient to the skin.
Because a fish is an aquatic animal, its skin differs from that of other animals, and notably mammals. Accordingly, there is no reason to believe that the skin treatment of one type of skin animal, for example, a mammal, would be effective to treat the skin of another type of animal, for example, a fish.
When a fish is netted, handled or even at times when placed in a stressful situation, such as low oxygen, high carbon dioxide or temperature fluctuations, the slime coating is disturbed, making the fish vulnerable to disease, such as bacterial, fungal and parasitic diseases. Particularly when fish are shipped in high concentrations in low volumes of water, they are subject to trauma such as being scraped, bitten and otherwise wounded. Moreover, ammonia, a waste product of fish's digestion and respiration, is released into the water containing fish. Ammonia is also released at high levels by dead fish and decaying food. At high ammonia levels, the fish are subject to ammonia burns which disturb the slime coating and adversely affect the fish.
This invention is based on the discovery that aloe vera extract promotes the healing of damaged fish tissue, and increases the effectiveness of compositions used to replace the fish's slime coating.
Although aloe vera has been known for centuries in the treatment of a wide range of human skin ailments, its use in treating damaged fish tissue is hitherto unknown. Further, compositions for replacing the slime coating of aquarium fish are known. These compositions generally contain colloids which replace a fish's natural mucous secretion. However, no prior art slime-replacing composition is known to contain aloe vera.